Cybersecurity

Interior’s Cyber Practices Allow for Easily Crackable Passwords, Watchdog Finds

An OIG investigation found that the Interior Department has not fully implemented multifactor authentication and that its “outdated and ineffective” password requirements leave employees’ accounts vulnerable to exploitation.

Acquisition

Inflation costs present both barrier, opportunity for contractors in 2023

With a fiscal 2023 federal budget in-hand, contractors face both the prospect of a robust year and countervailing cost trends, Deltek says. 

Digital Government

NASA Names Longtime Aerospace Industry Expert as New Chief Technologist

With prior experience from companies like Blue Origin, A.C. Charania will take on the agencywide role to spearhead technology innovation.

Cybersecurity

FCC Rule Would Require Telecom Providers to Immediately Disclose Sensitive Data Breaches

The Federal Communications Commission’s proposed rule would require telecommunications providers to immediately notify consumers and federal agencies about any breaches involving “customer proprietary network information.”

Policy

NIST Seeks Input on Governance of the National Semiconductor Technology Center

The agency is looking for responses on policy and governance frameworks for the center, which was created as part of the CHIPS Act.

Emerging Tech

Air Force Wants to Add Facial Recognition to Automated Base Entrance

Scott Air Force Base is looking for verification and identification algorithms for a facial recognition pilot.

Ideas

Ransomware and resilience

It's not how hard you get hit, an industry expert argues, but how quickly you get back up.

Ideas

Webb Telescope Reveals Super Early Milky Way-Like Galaxies

COMMENTARY | New images from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope reveal for the first time galaxies with stellar bars at a time when the universe was a mere 25% of its present age.

Modernization

Watchdog: Justice Dept. Lags on Implementing Tech, Supply Chain Recommendations

An inspector general's report issued Thursday noted that as of Nov. 30, the department has more than 700 recommendations that had not yet been fully implemented, some more than three years old.

Ideas

Lessons from Taiwan's rise to dominate the computer chip industry

Steve Kelman notes that an assertive industrial policy can yield big wins for governments willing to invest and manage their investments.

Digital Government

State Department creates first office devoted to emerging technology diplomacy

The Office of the Special Envoy for Critical and Emerging Technology will facilitate strategic partnerships to develop and regulate innovative tech.

Modernization

COBOL: You’re thinking about it wrong

The workhorse computing language suffers from a “major image problem” rooted in fundamental misperceptions, researchers say.

Acquisition

Watchdog: Justice Dept. lags on implementing tech, supply chain recommendations

An inspector general's report issued Thursday noted that as of Nov. 30, the department has more than 700 recommendations that had not yet been fully implemented, some more than three years old.

Policy

FTC Proposes Ban on Noncompetes, Which Agency Says Stifle Innovation

Opponents of noncompetes have long argued that the agreements have a harmful impact on competition, particularly on the tech sector’s ability to develop cutting-edge devices and services.

Modernization

Defense Logistics Agency to Shift Warehouse Management to Commercial Software

The agency wants to modernize its distribution and warehouse management systems but says it can’t do that with 20-year-old government-built technology.

Modernization

NLRB Looks to Modernize Its Legal Case Management System

The agency will use responses to a request for information to help form its acquisition strategy.

Digital Government

Army CIO Raj Iyer to Step Down

The former industry executive had served as the Army's top information technology officer for more than two years, but will depart the service "over the next several weeks."

Ideas

Beyond Section 230: A Pair of Social Media Experts Describes How to Bring Transparency and Accountability to the Industry

COMMENTARY | We think change in Section 230 is coming – and we believe that it is long overdue.

Defense

Army CIO Raj Iyer to step down

The former industry executive had served as the Army's top information technology officer for more than two years, but will depart the service "over the next several weeks."